December 11, 2006—The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is awarding $2.9 million in grants to12 states to help them improve environmental permitting—the legal process by which regulatory requirements to protect health and the environment are translated into operating procedures for businesses and facilities.
New Jersey, Virginia, Louisiana, Indiana, and Nevada are setting up programs to improve environmental performance in small businesses, such as dry cleaning, oil and gas well operations, retail gasoline sales, and dental facilities. These programs will be applying the Environmental Results Program (ERP) model to improve compliance and other aspects of environmental performance while reducing regulatory burden and increasing regulatory agency awareness of small business operations.
Massachusetts and Rhode Island will receive grants to quantify how ERPs benefit state permitting programs.
Washington and Georgia will examine how the comprehensive focus of environmental management systems can be used to reduce the overall environmental impacts of manufacturing facilities.
New Hampshire, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, and Arizona will set up programs to provide public recognition and other incentives for facilities that exceed environmental permitting requirements.
For more information on EPA’s State Innovation Grants program, its Innovation Strategy, or its Environmental Results Program (ERP), visit EPA’s Web site.
